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3 spr1ng,which latter is covered with an elastlc UNrrEn STATES PATENT EErcE.

HENRY A. LUTTGENS, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,642, dated April 1%,1885.

Application filed May 6, 1884.

To all ZU/bOII'b it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY AUGUSTUS Lorr- GENS, of the city of Paterson, county of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, have made certain Improvements in Thrill-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a correct description and specification of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters represent the same parts in all the figures.

My invention is an improvement upon a thill-coupling for which Letters Patent of the United States of America were granted to me April 13, 1875, No. 161,973, and June 27, 1882, No. 260,107.

The use of a spiral spring in connection with this coupling is named among the modifications of Patent- No. 161,973, as follows: The packing k may be substituted by a spiral or other steel spring, and the depth of the coupling increased so as to provide space for the spring.

The improvements consist in so shaping the upper and lower surfaces, which press the springs, as to favor a rocking movement of the spring-cover and thill-iron; also, to providea double spring soinade that when releasedfroni pressure the inner spring is longer than the outer spring, to enable the inner or lighter spring to exert pressure beyond the outer casing. Another improvement is to provide the back of the hook-iron with a shoulder which will engage with the pointed projection of the spring-cover at apoint before the thilliron is entered into, or after the same is detached from the coupling; also, to so shape the hook or thill-iron that it will enter the coupling at a lower position of the shaft, when the latter, on account of a projecting dash-board or other interference, may not be raised into the ordinary highest position. A modification of the thill-iron and hook -bearing is shown provided with a conical bearing; also, a coupling-box to be used on sleighs, of such construction as to adapt the same to the running-gear of a sleigh.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the thill-coupling; Fig. 2, a section through the center of the same, with the thill-iron and hook-bearing with bolt shown in full. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are sec- (No model.)

tions and top views of two different styles of spring-covers. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are separate views of the spiral springs; Fig. 10, a representation of the elastic spring-cover; Figs. 11 and 12, details of thill-iron; Figs. 13 and 14, a modification of the hook-bearing and thilliron, and Figs. 15 and 16 represent in part a a section through its center and a front view of a modification of the coupling-box adapted to sleighs. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the coupling-box B.

The principal features of this coupling are thesarne as describedin the PatentNo. 161,973. A represents aportion of a carriage-axle.

E is the thill-iron of a carriage-shaft; B, the coupling-boX,which is connected from side to side by the bottom web, 2.

D is the hook-bearing,which is formed into an axleclip and secured to the coupling-box by a steel pin or rivet, the whole coupling being firmly secured to the axle by the bolt forming part of the axle-clip.

O is the spring-cover. It is formed with a downward projection at its rear end and a cavity at its forward end for the reception of the spiral springsS and s. The inner face of this cavity forms a rounded projection, 1;,and the cover (1 is provided at the front end with a pointed projection, '21 or r, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The coupling-box Bis provided with a cavity for the reception of the spiral springs S and s, and the bottom face of this cavity also has a rounded projection, p,opposite to the pro jection p ,in the spring-cover G. The spiral springs S and s are inserted between the pro jecting ridges of the spring-cover C" and the coupling-box B. The section of steel of the spiral spring Sis equalto about No. 10 Stubbss wire-gage. The pitch of the spirals is about thrce-sixteenths of an inch, and the height of the spring seven-eighths of an inch when released from pressure. Its outside diameter is five-eighths of an inch. The inner spiral spring may be made of steel, about No. 17 Stubbss wire-gage, the pitch of the spirals is about one-eighth of an inch, and the height of this spring one and one-eighth of an inch when released from pressure. Its outside diameteris eleven thirty-seconds of an inch, or such as to enter freely into the outer spring. The elastic casing G is made open at the back, and binds closely at the top of the outside spring, S. Springs of these dimensions are suitable for couplings for ordinary light carriage shafts and poles, and their sizes and proportions must be modified as required. The thill-iron E differs in several respects from the thill-iron shown in the Patent No. 260,107. Its rounded surface 6, in contact with the hook-bearing, has its center f in a different position from center 9, which is the center for the lower rounded surface, h. The center 9 is placed about three thirty-seconds of an inch in advance of the center f, when the thill-iron E is placed as shown in Fig. 11, or in its vertical position as regards the portion which enters the coupling-box B. The difference of position of the centers f and 9 serves the double purpose of enabling the thill-iron E to take its proper position upon the inclined face of the springcover 17, and also to reduce the depth of that part of the thill-iron which is next to the carriage-axle A. The thill-iron E has a shoulder,

coupling, when the shoulder Z of the thill-iron E engages with the projection v at the front end of the spring-cover O. The shafts or pole, when so placed, may be moved or swayed to some extent without losing their hold, so that one side of the shaft being taken hold of with one hand this side is pressed downward, thereby compressing the inner lighter spring, s,

while with the other hand the thi11-iron E is pressed or pushed into the coupling-box B, the opposite side retaining its position by means of shoulder Z upon projection 1;, ready to be entered into the coupling-box B. The length of the outer-spring, S, is such that the thill-iron E may enter freely into the couplingbox B, for at that point the inner or lighter spring, 8, acts alone upon the spring-cover '0, both springs being compressed when the shafts or pole are in position for use. The highest possible position of the shafts differs with different styles of carriages, according to the position of .the dash-board, which is in some cases placed six inches in advance of the axle.

The coupling used on a carriage with a dash so placed has the spring-cover, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, with the top of projection 12 no higher than the face of the cover, so that in this case the projection 1) does not diminish the opening for the entrance of the thilliron E into the coupling, thereby enabling the thill-irons to be entered when the pole or shafts cannot be raised into the higher position. The arcs or rounded portions 0 and h of the thill-iron E being made eccentric to each other, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, likewise facilitate the entering of the thill-iron into the coupling-box B. The rounded projection 41 within the cover 0, and the like rounded projection 19 in the coupling-box, in contact with springs S and s, favor a rolling horizontal movement of the bottom face, h, of the thill-irou E with the spring-cover 0 without further compressing or changing the shape of the spiral springs.

Figs. 18 and 14 represent a modification of the thill-iron E the latter at q and its bearing 0 of the axle-clip D are made conical in shape, so that when the spring presses from the bottom it also causes a certain amount of side pressure to prevent any side movement of the sleigh, or it may be secured into the jaw, which sometimes forms the means of coupling the shafts or pole of sleighs as now made. The inner side of the box B is provided with flanges, which are fitted to bar r, and a bolt, 1), secures the coupling and also fastens it to the sleigh-iron r. The inner plate may be extended for a second bolt, as shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. To favora rocking movement of cover 0, the combination of the rounded spring-seats p and p with thill-iron E.

2. Shoulder Z of the thill-iron E, in combination with projection 12 of the spring-cover G.

3. A graduated elastic support of cover 0, in combination with its projection o and shoulder Z of thill-iron E.

HENRY A. LUTTGENS.

\Vitnesses:

M. RUNYoN LUlTGENS, LOUISE LUTTGENS. 

